1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a system and method for providing perimeter security and, more specifically to a system and method for providing entry-point, boundary-line, and presence intrusion detection by means of an intelligent controller process capable of driving both field alert/alarm systems and security station monitoring devices. The system and method of the present invention is particularly applicable to use at airports but can also can be applied to perimeter security and presence-detecting security generally, including critical infrastructures such as chemical manufacturing plants, nuclear and non-nuclear power generation facilities, water purification plants, fuel storage installations, food processing plants, dams, and ports.
The present invention more specifically relates to a runway occupancy warning system (ROWS™) providing critical runway status alerts to both flight crew approaching an airfield and air traffic controllers managing ground traffic. The preferred components of a runway occupancy warning system include: a detection system consisting of one or more detection hubs (D-hubs), airfield output devices (including all Final Approach Runway Occupancy Signal (FAROS), Ground Alert Runway Occupancy Signal (GAROS) and Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF) Runway Occupancy Radio Signal (RORS)), an airfield communications network, and a runway operations processing electronics unit (“ROPE”).
2. Description of the Related Art
Among the sensor technologies in use today for detecting target position information on airport runways is a radar-based surveillance system that is being used to help controllers monitor movement of aircraft and ground vehicles on the airport surface during low or no visibility conditions. The Airport Surface Detection Equipment (ASDE)-equipped airports represent the busiest airports with predominantly commercial air traffic and the most complex runway configurations.
Airport Movement Area Safety System (AMASS) is a software/hardware enhancement for the ASDE-3 radar system designed to assist air traffic controllers in the safe movement of aircraft by providing safety warnings and alerts of potential runway collisions. AMASS builds on the ASDE-3 radar information by providing visual data (identity) information and audible warning systems to alert air traffic controllers that a runway incursion is pending.
To meet surveillance needs at small to medium-sized airports, a new system, ASDE-X, was developed and has been contracted to be deployed at 25 additional airports. ASDE-X consists of a radar, a processor, non-radar sensors, and a display. It is designed to more precisely identify aircraft and vehicles on the ground than radar alone. ASDE-X was intended to provide a low-cost, scaled down feature set alternative to the ASDE-3/AMASS full surveillance system.
As part of the FAA's strategy to improve safety at U.S. airports, the agency initiated a collaborative movement with other members of the aviation industry to implement improvements in capacity and efficiency to meet future air traffic demand over the next decade. In the plan, the FAA identified 35 airports that best represent the goals of the Operational Evaluation Program (OEP) plan as the primary drivers of NAS performance in terms of system capacity. It is these OEP-35 airports that are being targeted for capacity improvements as implemented by the FAA for high-capacity commercial airports. Each of the OEP-35 airports already has installed, or is scheduled to have installed, an ASDE-3/AMASS or ASDE-X system.
The objective of the Airport Surface Detection Program is to design and deploy the ASDE-X surface surveillance system. The ASDE-X is a modular surface surveillance system that can process radar, multilateration and Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) sensor data, which provides seamless airport surveillance to air traffic controllers. The ASDE-X system is targeted for second-tier airports and a Product Improvement/Upgrade for ASDE-3 Airport Movement Area Safety System airports. The FAA announced in June 2000 that the ASDE-X program would deploy 25 operational systems and 4 support systems. Additionally the ASDE-X Product Improvement/Upgrade for ASDE-3 sites will be deployed at 9 operational ASDE-3 sites, for a total of 34 operational systems and 4 support systems.
The goal of ASDE-X is to increase airport safety through enhanced air traffic control situational awareness. The ASDE-X conflict-detection equipment (with multilateration) provides detailed coverage of runways and taxiways, and alerts air traffic controller (visually and audibly) to potential collision alerts. The system depicts aircraft and vehicle positions using identification overlays on a color map showing the surface movement area and arrival corridors.
ASDE-X is an all-weather airport management system that provides aircraft location and identification to air traffic controllers. The system uses a combination of surface movement radar and transponder multilateration sensors to display aircraft position labeled with flight call-signs on an air traffic control (ATC) tower display.
The ASDE-X system provides fusion of multiple surveillance sources to support:                Positive correlation of flight plan information with aircraft position on controller displays        Continuous surveillance coverage of the airport from arrival through departureASDE-X Architecture        
The ASDE-X architecture consists of five core components: surface movement radar, multilateration, ADS-B, multi-sensor data processing and tower displays. The surface movement radar is the primary surveillance sensor that detects aircraft and vehicles on the airport surface. Multilateration is a secondary surveillance component that interacts with Mode S, air traffic control radar beacon system (ATCRBS) or ADS-B-equipped aircraft and vehicles for identification and location information. ADS-B-equipped aircraft and vehicles automatically broadcast latitude and longitude, velocity, altitude, heading and identification using the Global Navigation Satellite System and aviation data links. The fusion of the radar, multilateration and ADS-B data enables the estimate of target location using multiple data sources. The ASDE-X system provides controllers with aircraft position, system status monitoring and decision support tools on a color tower display.
Multi-Sensor Data Processor (MSDP)
The ASDE-X multi-sensor data processor (MSDP) provides terminal and surface traffic picture by fusing data from one or more surface movement radars, a multilateration system with integral ADS-B sensors, flight plan data and one or more aircraft surveillance radars.
The MSDP is available in a dual, redundant configuration that features auto fail over and synchronized track identifiers. MSDP software runs on a Sun Microsystems workstation under the Unix-based Sun Solaris operating system.
ADS-B Transceiver
The ADS-B transceiver serves as the avionics link with the existing air traffic control infrastructure. The unit supports the 1090 MHz Extended Squitter (1090ES) or Universal Access Transceiver (UAT) standards to receive latitude and longitude, velocity, altitude, heading and identification as determined by aircraft avionics and the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS).
TABLE IASDE-X SpecificationsASDE-X System SpecificationsCoverage:Entire Movement Area (taxiway and runway)up to 200 feet above ground levelApproach corridor for each runway from 5miles out to the runway threshold up to 5,000feet above ground levelSystem Update Rate:One update per secondTrack continuity of 99.5% over all tracksSystem Target Capacity:200 real targetsMean Time Between Critical Failure:2190 hours with a Mean Time to Repair of 30 minOperating Temperature (outdoor equipment):−35 to +66 degrees CelsiusMultilateration SpecificationsProbability of Detection:0.93 for all targets with transpondersTarget Report Accuracy:20 feet one sigma throughout surfacecoverage areaSurface Movement Radar SpecificationsProbability of Detection:0.90 for all targets >3m2 RCS with a 10−6probability of false alarm in all conditions up to 16mm/hr rainTarget Report Accuracy:Range accuracy of 6.6 feet root mean square (RMS)Azimuth accuracy 0.05 degrees RMSATC Tower Display SpecificationsHardware:21 inch color monitorContrast ratio:>1.7:1 at 6,000 ftViewing angle:±80 degreesLuminance:1000 cd · m2 at display surfaceSoftware:Configurable color and iconsData recording and playback feature
The runway safety lights concept was first tried in the runway status lights program (RWSL) program at Boston Logan Airport in mid-1990. ATC was part of the RWSL team and was responsible for implementing the light control algorithms. That project used ASDE radar with AMASS as a surveillance source. A demonstration project at Boston-Logan Airport showed the viability of using runway safety lights at runway/taxiway intersections to raise a pilot's situational awareness. It was shown that safety lights driven by loop-based surveillance technology is possible. Light control timing was seen to be adequate for the proof-of-concept demonstration, but suffered minor deficiencies that would not be acceptable in an operational system. The primary solution to these timing issues would be provided by an improved communication system either through better wireless modems or hardwired communication links. Light logic parameter tuning was also considered an issue, and a greater period of tuning would have been appropriate.
Among the perimeter detection technologies available today, the more popular, available, and consequently lower-cost sensor technologies include fence vibration, taut-wire, and optical fiber technology. Also available are the more complex and expensive technologies, including electronic-field and capacitance-discharge sensor technologies. However, none of the conventional detection technologies provides a flexible and scalable system or method for collecting data from a variety of sensor components and communicating that information to an intelligent (i.e., rules-based) communications network, such as a central security processor, or that has the capability to drive a variety of lighting output devices as well as graphical interfaces, such as security monitors or mobile hand-held devices. Further, none of the conventional perimeter detection technologies can easily incorporate the use of a combination of sensor technologies or can easily fuse data from motion or ground sensors or can easily, when placed within a perimeter boundary, reinforce fence-line detection and expand perimeter detection. None of the conventional perimeter detection technologies acquires the data from multiple types of sensors, converts the data into a common format, and then processes the commonly formatted data according to predefined rules that drive outputs.